Adjustable supporting and clamping device



ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING AND CLAMPING DEVICE Filed May 15 1951 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLE SUPPDRTING AND CLAMPING DEVICE Walter P. Ponder, Shreveport, La., assignor to E. A. Beckelhymer and E. A. Beckelhymer, Jr., Laredo, Tex.

Application May 15, 1951, Serial No. 226,409

2 Claims. (Cl. 211-64) This invention relates to an adjustable supporting and clamping device, and more particularly to such a device adapted for use in a case for pistols and similar firearms.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a highly simplified and novel type of means whereby pistols or other devices of varying sizes, and particularly varying widths, may be supported and clamped against displacement.

A further object is to provide such a device wherein a plurality of the articles to be clamped and supported may be held in position by the simple operation of a single tightening element.

A further object is to provide a plurality of adjacent cooperating fingers separate from and adjustable toward and away from each other to accommodate therebetween pistol barrels or other elements and to provide a single element for clamping all of said fingers against the elements arranged therebetween.

A further object is to provide a device of the character referred to wherein the fingers are carried by base elements therefor projecting laterally beyond the fingers whereby, if there is no pistol barrel or other element between two adjacent fingers, the base elements thereof will contact with each other to take up the force exerted by the single clamping means.

A further object is to provide such a device wherein the base portions of the fingers are mounted for linear sliding movement in a single support to accommodate themselves to elements of dififerent thicknesses to be clamped therebetween, and to provide a single securing element operable in a single operation to clamp the fingers against the pistol barrels or other elements therebetween.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suitable base plate showing the invention applied thereto, two pistols being shown in position in the device,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the support, the clamping fingers and associated elements, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section,

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the device.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral designates a base in the form of a tray. The invention is shown in the present instance as a pistol clamping and supporting device, in which case the tray 10 would be used with a conventional pistol case, the bottom of which is fragmentarily shown in Figure 2 and indicated by the numeral 11.

An elongated support 12 is fixed, for example, by screws 13, to the base 10 and extends throughout the greater portion of the width of the tray. The support 12 may be "ice formed of wood arranged with its greater transverse dimension vertical as shown in Figure 3. This support is provided in the top thereof with a slot 14 extending throughout the length of the support, and the side walls of the slot are grooved or undercut as at 15 for a purpose to be described.

The device is provided with a plurality of supports or clamping elements, each indicated as a whole by the numeral 18. Each such clamping element comprises an upstanding finger 19 having relatively flat opposite faces 20, the lower ends of which curve as at 21 except for the outer faces of the remote elements 18, which faces are preferably straight as shown in Figure 2. The curved faces 21 intersect the upper ends of fiat faces 22 formed on the base portions 23 of the clamping elements. These base portions accordingly are materially wider than the fingers 19 and are adapted to contact with each other or to be spaced apart, as referred to below. Each base portion 23 is provided with a depending integral rib 24 having outstanding flanges 25 fitting the grooves 15. Obviously, the ribs 24 and their flanges 25 correspond in shape and size to the slot 14 and its grooves 15 to be slidably received therein. Accordingly, each individual clamping element 18 is linearly movable toward and away from the adjacent clamping element. The straight faces 22 extend above the support 12, and above the latter, a single bolt 28 passes through the base portions 23 of the clamping elements. The head 29 of the bolt may be countersunk as shown in Figure 2, and the opposite end of the bolt is provided with a conventional nut 30.

. The spaces 32 between adjacent fingers 19, in the present When it is desired to pack away target or other pistols, the nut 30 is loosened and backed off to a suflicient extent to permit the fingers 19 to slide in the manner stated, away from each other. The barrels of pistols will be pushed downwardly between adjacent fingers to the positions shown for example in Figure 1, with the handles resting on the tray 10. The fingers may be designed in somewhat varying shapes, as shown in Figure 2, to make allowances for pistols and pistol barrels of different types, if desired, or all may be made alike.

After the pistols have been inserted to the desired positions, the single nut 30 is tightened and force will be transmitted through the bolt 28 to the head 29. The nut and head of the bolt will exert clamping forces on the outermost clamping elements 19 tending to move them toward each other, and each clamping element 18, through a pistol barrel arranged thereagainst, will transmit the same force to the next adjacent finger 19. If the space between any adjacent pair of fingers is not occupied by a pistol barrel, then the faces 22 beneath such space will be brought into contact to limit movement of such fingers toward each other in the same manner as if a pistol barrel were arranged therebetween. The nut 30 is turned until a gripping action is exerted against each pistol barrel to clamp the pistols in position.

It will be noted from the foregoing that the device comprises a plurality of clamps each formed of relatively movable adjacent fingers 19, and each of these fingers, except the outermost fingers, forms an element of two clamps since opposite faces of each of such fingers are engageable against the elements to be clamped. The ribs 24 and flanges 25 of all of the clamping elements are identical and accordingly may be relatively economically made on a suitable machine. A single support 12 is all that is necessary to support an indeterminate number of the clamping elements, and regardless of the number of clamping elements employed, only a single securing element or bolt 28 need be used. Furthermore, regardless of the number of devices to be clamped in position, only a single operation; namely-thetighteningof' thenut 30, is necessary to fix all of the devices in position.

The device has been particularly described with relation to the supporting and holding of pistols ina pistol case,- but itv obviously maybe employed" for supporting any suitable devices where it is, desired to clamp a plurality of such devices, particularly where such" devices are to be stored and protected from relative movement'in'a case. When used as a support for pistols in a pistol case, the pistols are protected from relative movement and are consequently protected from any injury from movement within the case.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting and clamping a plurality to, permit the reception, of a variety of sizes. of firearm.

barrels, a single bolt passing through each of said clamp ing elements parallel to the. line of movement thereof toward and away. from each other,.said clamping elements being slidable on said bolt, and said bolt having a head and nut at its ends engaging the outermost clamping elements outwardly thereof to hold said clamping elements.

in positive clamping engagement with the barrel portions of pistols and like firearms, and a base secured to said supporting member and extending laterally outward at each side thereof for supporting the handle or butt portions of pistols and like firearms.

2. A clamping and supporting device for pistols, and similar firearms comprising an elongated upstanding support having a longitudinal slot in its top edge portion, a

pluralityofclamping elementseach having alower por tion corresponding in shape: to and slidable in said slot longitudinally of said support whereby each of said elements is movable toward and away from its adjacent elements, each clamping element having an upwardly extending finger at the top thereof; narrower than the lower portion of, saidclamping element to provide pistol-receiving, open-topped spaces, between said fingers above said support, the spacing among the various fingers being varied to permit the=reception of a variety of different sized pistolbarrels'anda bolt-extending through each of said clamping elements between said support and said fingers andlextendinglongitudinally of said support, said clamping elementsbeing slidable along said bolt, and said bolt having ahead and" nut at its" respective ends engaging the outer faces of the outermost clamping elements to effect movement of said clamping elements toward each other; saidlower portions ofsaid' clamping elements-being engageable with each other to limit-movement of-saidelements toward'each other where no article is arranged between any adjacent pair of said fingers.

References-Citedinthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 439-,562 Richards Oct. 28, 1890 633,416 Beaulieu Sept. 19, 1899 838,473 Speiser Dec. 11, 1906 1,631,780 Zeitung June 7, 1927 1,657,854 Cl'emensen Jan. 31, 1928 2,032,631 Pushee- Mar. 3, 1936 2,420,347 Baldwin May 13, 1947' 2,469,542 Becker May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 703,668 France May 4, 1931 

